Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On Sporting KC’s 2-0 win over Chicago…
I thought we played well. I thought we were good tonight and I thought some things happened that needed to happen. Number one is even though Dom [Dwyer] missed the PK, I thought we still had a really good mentality. We kept playing, we kept going after it and created some good chances. I thought Andy Gruenebaum had three great saves that really kept us in the game, and we really needed that for a number of reasons. And at the same time, [Graham] Zusi scored a world-class goal, no doubt, and the same thing with the cross in the box. On that one Dom should be giving him a big kiss because he just had to stand there and jump up. It was the perfect ball. It was a good performance. We achieved our goal of getting where we needed to be and now we need to get ourselves healthy so when the playoffs start we are ready to go.
On Sporting KC getting into playoff form…
It's not the way we wanted. We still have quite a few guys healthy and are trying to get them healthy. I told the guys before we went out that it is important for us to take advantage of what we can control. We had an opportunity to get into the playoffs now and resting ourselves going forward. That is something we will have to do because we have been through a very difficult time this year. The guys need to get a little break and make sure when we get to the playoffs we have as many healthy bodies as possible. It's a very short progression to get there, but it's very intense and we have to be ready for that.
On overcoming obstacles to get back into playoffs…
I know what it's like as a player, but I've never experienced it as a manager until this year. When you win a championship, the next year is always a very difficult year for many reasons. And then you have all the injuries and international duty, and I always say, what never gets talked about is Chance Myers and Ike Opara. They are two very important players for our team that have been on season-ending injuries from the beginning of the year, and they came at a crucial time when guys were away for international duty. And then you take the fact that we lost Peterson Joseph for a career-ending injury. We have had a lot of things like that at very difficult times.
On overcoming several injuries throughout the year…
I always say the great thing is that a lot of guys that have had the opportunity to step in and play. In a lot of situations they have done a very good job, and more importantly, have always maintained the very close resemblance to the way and the style that we play, and that is not easy to do. I don't think too many teams in MLS can do that. I'm very proud of the fact that our team can and is committed to our style of play. And then you add in to the fact that the a guy like Paulo Nagamura is out for two months comes back and plays 85 minutes his first game back, tonight Jake [Peterson] has been out for the last month and he comes in and plays 84 minutes in a position that normally I would never put him in. But I trust him enough to do it and he did a fantastic job in the game. A lot of guys have done a lot of things to help us get here and hopefully in the next couple weeks we can get enough bodies and enough guys strong enough that we can make the push that we need to at the end of the season.
On Kevin Ellis's development…
What we do and what these guys do is not an easy job. You work and work and work and you try to get your opportunity. And when you get your opportunity, you have to be ready and play well. Sometimes, you are not sure if you are ready and you get thrown into the fire. He's been thrown into a lot of situations this year and I have to say in a lot of stations he has done very well. He has come a long way.
Sporting KC winger Graham Zusi
On scoring an impressive game-winning goal…
I think it was a culmination of a lot of emotions after that ball went in. We had to give these fans what they deserved and play well and we were dead set on doing that tonight, not only to get into the playoffs, but to do that at home where we should win every game. That's how we feel.
On overcoming obstacles to get back into playoffs…
We've gone on skids before. You can't go to a season where we haven't or where any team hasn't. Where we pride ourselves is coming back from those skids. It took us a little longer this time, for whatever reason, but I think the past month has been very good from us. The two CONCACAF games were excellent at home. A couple of our games after that were good, but we were just a little unfortunate toward the end of games. We have quite a bit of confidence in where we are right now, as we should. We have been playing well and this one tonight is just a huge win for us. It gives us more confidence and momentum going into the playoffs, which has proven in the past to be huge. Teams that are playing well going into the playoffs typically go pretty far.
Sporting KC goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum
On Sporting KC’s 2-0 win that sent them into the playoffs…
Our whole goal was to keep getting shutouts. It was a great defensive effort by the team. We knew that if we were just patient with our buildup and picked good spots to go after them, we were going to get a couple goals. The biggest thing was getting the shutout, and it was a great team effort from top to bottom. We’re getting closer to that playoff form.
On Sporting KC earning a second straight clean sheet…
The whole difference is our mentality. Not that we didn’t have it before, but we’re really showing it now at the right time. We want to get a clean sheet, we want to get that zero, and we’ll do whatever it takes—sacrifice our bodies or whatever it takes. It starts with Dom [Dwyer] up top and we work as a team. We have to pick good spots to attack and everyone has to be on the same page. I think we’re doing that much better right now.
On making six saves in the match, including one impressive stop in each half…
I try to get a read on the shot, but some of it’s obviously just making yourself big. Some if it’s positioning, too. Even though it happens bang-bang like that, it’s definitely something that you can kind of read when it goes off the player’s foot. The (kick save) in the second half, I saw him going to his left and just stuck out my leg. Even though my body was moving the other direction, I just made myself big.
On Graham Zusi’s stunning game-winning goal…
It was one of the biggest moments of the year so far. Our biggest goal was getting to the playoffs, so that was huge. When that ball went in, you obviously still have to play and close out the game. But that just gave us the momentum. To get another one from Dom was huge as well just to not take our foot off the pedal. It’s definitely felt great to get the win.
On Sporting KC’s momentum heading into the final two regular season games…
It definitely feels like momentum is back a little bit. Having said that, though, we still have a lot of work to do. It wasn’t perfect tonight. We have to make sure we’re shoring up things that didn’t go right for us. We can’t take anything for granted in that sense. We have a lot of work to do to really make sure we’re going to make a good run, and hopefully we can do that.
Sporting KC defender Jacob Peterson
First off, making the playoffs four straight years is a good accomplishment. It’s step one in our goals—to make the playoffs. As we’ve seen, anything can happen. We’ve got to put together a couple good results here, and hopefully we’ll be clicking. Tonight was a good performance, although we made it a little difficult on ourselves. We allowed far too many chances and Andy [Gruenebaum] had a great game today. That’s the best game that I’ve seen him play. He was big. And then offensively, Graham [Zusi] took over in the second half. That’s why he’s such an important piece for us. He’s a game-changer. It was a great performance from him.
It was a very important moment just because of our recent run of form. Our home form hasn’t been great, so that was a really big moment. Personally, I was so tired at that point. I was thrilled that it went in, but I was too tired to go up and celebrate with him. It was an unbelievable finish, and then his ball to Dom at the end was equally as good. Overall, it was a great second half from him. There aren’t many players in the league that can play at that level.
I felt good for the most part. It’s just a different level of intensity playing through a game instead of training. It took me 5-10 minutes before I really got into the game. And then toward the end of the game, your fitness level obviously isn’t what it was before. For being out two months out, I was happy with it, but I’m most happy with the win. That’s the most important thing. Personally, it was great to be back out there because I really missed playing.
That’s really big because we were leaking goals for a while. Andy saved us tonight. That could have been two goals given up, but he was really big. I thought Matt [Besler] did a great job organizing. He had a pretty inexperienced back line—Igor [Juliao] and Kevin [Ellis] are both young guys, but both have played great this season—and I haven’t had a ton of experience at left back. But like I said, Matt was really good organizing us. Teams go through the playoffs by not giving up goals. That’s how you advance. We’ll look at the tape and hopefully improve upon it, but it’s pretty big to get a win tonight.
Chicago Fire Manager Frank Yallop
On Chicago’s performance in a 2-0 loss…
It was very good. I think you have to look at the game as a neutral. It was a pretty even game with chances, and I thought we played well tonight. We created some very good opportunities, but if you look at the quality finish from Graham Zusi—a terrific goal, great strike—nothing you could do about that one. And then we’re chasing the game, trying to get back in it with minutes left and then obviously a good finish by (Dom) Dwyer. All in all, I was pleased with the performance, thought we created enough chances to get at least a goal. The one chance that fell to (Matthew) Fondy at the end, I thought we could have done better with it, not hitting the keeper. But having said that, we are where we are because of that. We can’t really get the chances to go when we need them, and when teams seem to look like they’re going to get a goal, they get it. It’s a weird feeling, but all in all, I thought we played well enough to get something out of the match. As we have a lot of games this year, with our ties, we’re in every game. And it’s proved again tonight: we were right there, toe to toe and we didn’t quite get it done.
On Chicago’s frustrating season…
I don’t want to make excuses—I never do—but there weren’t a lot of options to change things when I came here at the beginning of the season. But now I’ve seen the team for a year and I think we’ve coached them to their potential. It’s not quite good enough to win games, so we just need to add some quality in the right areas and I think we’ll be decent. I’m excited about the prospects of that.
On the game’s back and forth action…
It was end-to-end, so I think a lot of teams come in here and try to soak it up and catch them on the counter. I think that we just tried to play the game and I think we did enough to get something out of it. So our tactics won’t change for next week. We’ve played pretty well all year, like that, and not gotten the results that I’ve felt we deserved. But the table doesn’t lie and we’re second to the bottom (in the Eastern Conference) with five wins out of a lot of games played, which is not good.
Chicago Fire forward Quincy Amarikwa
On Chicago’s 2-0 loss…
I think [Andy] Gruenebaum is the man of the match. He came up with some amazing saves that kept his team in it. In the end, [Graham] Zusi came up with a really good goal and the rest is history.
On Chicago’s objective heading into the match…
To continue doing what we are doing all year: to focus on bringing guys on the counterattack and hopefully joining in on the second phase. Unfortunately, [Graham] Zusi came away with one of the best strikes I have seen all year and we were on the tail end of that. We really pushed for it at the end. We went to three at the back to try and get it. [Matt] Fondy had a really good opportunity in the end, but Gruenebaum came up with another big save.
On the back and forth action…
Kansas City really likes to open up the play and catch teams on the counter, and I think we kind of got sucked into that on both sides of the ball. It’s exciting for the team and for the fans when it gets to that point. We were hoping to get some goals in but were unlucky to not convert.
Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson
On Chicago’s 2-0 loss…
It was a tough one. I thought we played well. I thought we had a good span of possession in the first half. We had plenty of chances but unfortunately [Andy] Gruenebaum played extremely well tonight. He was the man of the match for me. It was a great strike by Graham [Zusi] and he followed it up with a great ball as well. All in all, it’s disappointing we lost, but I think we played some good football tonight and it’s something to build on for the rest of the season.
On Chicago’s focus over the final two games…
For the last couple games of the season, it’s really important for us to stay focused on the coach’s message to go out there and end on a good note. We owe it to ourselves and to our fans. We have had a long season and we always have to have a positive outlook. We have everything to play for, especially the crest on our chest.
